Benin’s government says it has put down a brief but serious military uprising after soldiers appeared on state television on December 7 claiming to remove President Patrice Talon from power and suspend the constitution. The confrontation lasted only a few hours before...
[pj-news-ticker]
Algeria Raises Minimum Wage and Jobless Benefits for 2026
Algeria has approved increases to both the national minimum wage and unemployment benefits, starting in 2026, according to Algerian media reports. These measures are framed as part of a broader effort to boost household purchasing power and update social protections...
Mauritania: Medical Equipment Contract Controversy Deepens in Mauritania
A medical procurement deal in Mauritania has turned into a governance controversy, after an investigation by independent outlet Alakhbar alleged serious irregularities in how the military managed a multimillion‑euro contract to equip public hospitals. Instead of...
Tunisia’s Main Union Calls Nationwide Strike Amid Political Tensions
Tunisia’s main trade union federation has called for a nationwide general strike on January 21, 2026, to protest mounting pressure on critics and to demand a return to structured wage bargaining. The move signals a major escalation between the powerful workers’...
Algeria Rolls Out 5G Network with Six-Year Expansion Plan
Algeria has activated its 5G mobile network, with the formal launch occurring on December 3rd in Algiers. The country's three major carriers—Mobilis, Djezzy, and Ooredoo—received licenses following completion of the regulatory framework. The deployment follows a...
Morocco’s Influencers Face Rising Legal Risks
Morocco’s courts are handling a growing number of cases involving high‑profile social media creators, signaling a pivot toward tighter control of online speech and behavior. Since 2020, a series of prosecutions has turned social media influencers into a central test...
TOP REGIONAL HEADLINES
Egypt’s Debt Diplomacy: How Brussels Became Cairo’s Latest Creditor of Confidence
The EU’s €7.4 billion package to Egypt marks Europe’s largest financial commitment to any non‑EU partner, aimed at stabilizing Cairo’s economy but adding to its already heavy debt load, now nearing 90 percent of GDP. The deal underscores Egypt’s strategic value to Europe amid regional turmoil and migration pressures.
MAGHREB
Moroccan Streamer Ilyas El Maliki Arrested Again
Moroccan online streamer Ilyas El Maliki was detained on the evening of Monday, 25 November 2025 in the coastal city of El Jadida, police sources...
Morocco: Ex-Minister and Lawyer, Mohamed Ziane Still in Detention
Former Moroccan minister and lawyer Mohamed Ziane is currently detained on the basis of two distinct criminal cases, with one sentence completed and...
Washington Initiates Review Process for Possible Terrorism Designations of Muslim Brotherhood Branches
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on 23 November 2025 that his administration has initiated a formal review to determine whether certain...
MAGHREB PAGE
SAHEL
Mauritania’s Former President Loses Final Appeal, Will Serve 15 Years
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who led Mauritania from 2009 to 2019, has lost his final appeal and will serve 15 years in prison. The Supreme Court of...
Sahel: Community Mourns Mariam Cissé, Killed by Militants in Northern Mali
Mariam Cissé, a well-known content creator from the town of Tonka in northern Mali, was abducted on November 6, 2025, at a weekly fair in Echel,...
Sahel: Foreign Workers Targeted in New Mali Kidnappings
A series of recent kidnappings in western and northern Mali have reinforced growing concerns for foreign workers and business interests operating in...
SAHEL PAGE
EGYPT
Egypt’s Fuel Price Hike Deepens Economic Strain Amid IMF Reforms
Egypt has raised domestic fuel prices sharply as part of a multi-faceted effort to stabilize the country's economy amidst persistent fiscal pressure...
Egypt: Sisi Confronts Worldwide Embassy Uproar
A series of protests and confrontations at Egyptian embassies around the world has sparked international attention in recent months. Demonstrations...
Infrastructure: Egypt’s High-Speed Rail Network Nears Completion
Egypt’s flagship high-speed electric rail project is changing the landscape of national mobility. The game-changing Ain Sokhna to Marsa Matrouh line...
EGYPT PAGE
FOCAL POINTS
Entrepreneurship: Producing cheese in Algeria
By Abdellah Cheballahb: Sporting a white cap and apron, Rachid Ibersiene bustles around vats at his dairy in Algeria's Atlas Mountains where he has brought the tradition of artisanal cheesemaking back from Switzerland. "We started with a butane gas bottle and stove,"...
Niger: Sahara salt diggers struggle to maintain centuries-old trade
By Camille Laffont: At the edge of an oasis almost engulfed by the dunes, where the rare caravan still passes, is a desert landscape punctured by holes. The salt pans of Kalala, near Bilma in northeastern Niger, were once an essential stop for traders with their...
Podcast: Latest big geopolitical issues affecting North Africa as of 10 June 2023
This podcast focuses on the latest key issues affecting North Africa as of 10 June 2023. NAJ's Editor, Arezki Daoud, shares his views on events in Egypt, Morocco, Libya, Algeria and Tunisia.
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POLITICAL AFFAIRS
French Nationals Urged to Leave Mali as Insurgent Attacks Intensify in the Sahel
Defense ministers from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger met in Niamey to accelerate their joint military alliance, but no deployment date was confirmed. France is advising nationals to leave Mali “temporarily” amid deteriorating security, while international shipping companies hesitate to continue cargo routes. November 7 brought reports of multiple attacks by insurgents, further highlighting the region’s instability.
MORE ON POLITICS
Mauritanian Police Detain Anti-Slavery Activist After Advocacy Event
Warda Ahmed Souleymane, a prominent member of Mauritania’s abolitionist movement, was detained by police in Nouakchott on October 31, 2025, soon...
Security Council Backs Morocco’s Plan for Western Sahara, Sets Out Negotiation Terms
The UN Security Council voted on October 31, 2025, to adopt a resolution regarding Western Sahara, which was drafted by the United States and...
Algerian Lawmakers Consider Stripping Citizenship from Nationals Abroad
A plan resurfacing in Algeria’s parliament would allow authorities to strip citizenship from Algerians who commit acts abroad deemed seriously...
Morocco’s New Election Law Sparks Free Speech Battle
Morocco’s government has just approved a controversial change to its election law—setting out steep new penalties for anyone who publicly spreads...
Tunisia: Pollution Uprising in Gabès Turning Into Sustained Protest Movement
MondAfrique: Gabès' fight against pollution has reached historic levels, turning into a sustained protest movement with possible national...
Opinion: Why Cameroon’s Crisis Threatens a Regional Collapse
In an oped in MondAfrique, Johnny Vianney Bissakonou argues that gambling with Cameroon’s stability is reckless. He warns that the uncertainty...
West Africa’s New Rulers Use the Same Same Old Playbook of Their Predecessors
Cameroon’s election aftermath is fueling more street violence, Côte d’Ivoire’s political prospects remain stuck in limbo, and now Guinea is laying...
Egypt Draws a Red Line on Nile Rights in GERD Dispute
Egypt is insisting that Nile water security is an uncompromising national priority, with the country’s leadership rejecting any attempts at...
France Signals a Thaw in Its Rift with Algeria
France has signaled a possible thaw in its strained relationship with Algeria after several tense months marked by diplomatic disputes and public...
Algeria and Tunisia Expand Military Cooperation Amid Regional Security Tensions
In a move reflecting the deepening security alignment between Algeria and Tunisia, the two neighbors signed a new defense cooperation agreement in...
France Signals a Thaw in Its Rift with Algeria
France has signaled a possible thaw in its strained relationship with Algeria after several tense months marked by diplomatic disputes and public...
Algeria and Tunisia Expand Military Cooperation Amid Regional Security Tensions
In a move reflecting the deepening security alignment between Algeria and Tunisia, the two neighbors signed a new defense cooperation agreement in...
Madagascar: “Mamy” Ravatomanga, billionaire, vice-king, and protester target
A profile by Olivier Vallée and Nicolas Beau [MondAfrique]: Maminiaina Ravatomanga, “Mamy,” is a wealthy businessman and simultaneous unofficial...
Morocco: GenZ212 Makes Tactical Pause in the Fight for Reforms
The GenZ212 protest movement in Morocco, which emerged following the deaths of eight women in an Agadir hospital, has shown both dramatic growth and...
PODCASTS
Pressure mounts in Algeria amid calls for resumption of Hirak | 18 June 2020
COVID-19: The Latest
Egypt inks deal with Chinese Covid vaccine maker to manufacture a billion doses per year
Egypt said Wednesday it plans to manufacture one billion doses a year of China's Sinovac vaccine, claiming it would become the Middle East and Africa's "biggest vaccine producer". Under the deal with the Chinese pharmaceutical company, a factory in Cairo will produce...
Covid-19 in the Maghreb: More restrictions in Morocco, peak infection in Tunisia and panic in Algeria
Coronavirus: Latest global developments Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: - China outbreak – Millions of people are confined to their homes in China as the country tries to contain its largest outbreak in months with mass testing and travel...
Algeria: Delta variant is driving Covid cases to new records, but fear is accelerating vaccinations
And in the Mideast too The World Health Organization said Thursday the Delta variant has led to a "surge" in coronavirus outbreaks triggering a "fourth wave" in the Eastern Mediterranean region, where vaccination rates remain low. The global health body said the...
SECURITY, DEFENSE & TERRORISM
Africa: New Warning of Evolving Hybrid Threats Linking Terrorism, Crime, and Climate Pressures Across Africa
Mauritania is warning that Africa’s security landscape is shifting from ideological insurgencies to profit-driven “religious-front criminal enterprises,” describing how jihadist networks have merged with organized crime.
Algeria and Tunisia Expand Military Cooperation Amid Regional Security Tensions
In a move reflecting the deepening security alignment between Algeria and Tunisia, the two neighbors signed a new defense cooperation agreement in...
Libya’s Path to Stability: Still Blocked by Fragmentation and Armed Rivalries
Libya closes 2025 still caught in a web of armed rivalries, political fragmentation, and recurring violence that continually unsettle both...
Sahel: Surging Jihadist Violence Batters the Sahel, Exposing Government Weakness
By Arezki Daoud: A surge in jihadist violence has rocked the Sahel region through late September and early October 2025, disrupting lives from the...
Algeria Plans Major Military Budget Increase for 2026
Algeria is set to approve a substantial increase in defense spending for 2026, marking the largest allocation ever proposed for its armed forces....
Mali: Ongoing Attacks Prompt Longer Curfew in Western Mali
Authorities in Mali have extended the curfew in Kayes for another month, following a series of violent attacks attributed to armed groups operating...
Mali: Diplomatic Rift Widens as France Expels Malian Envoys, Halts Counterterrorism Ties
Tensions between Mali and France have escalated after Paris expelled two Malian diplomats and suspended joint counterterrorism activities,...
Niger Dissolves Hundreds of Private Security Firms in Major Industry Overhaul
Niger’s government has shuttered 400 private security companies by ministerial decree, implementing a sweeping sector-wide reset in an effort to...
Sahel: Drone Incident Escalates Diplomatic Rift on Algeria–Mali Border
The diplomatic crisis between Algeria and Mali, long simmering over border security and regional influence, escalated further this week following...
Turkey: Erdogan’s Winning Strategy in Africa
Despite the wave of coups d'état in West Africa, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had close ties to the ousted regimes of Guinea, Mali,...
Libya’s Fragile Peace Shaken Again by Local Violence
Tensions are flaring again in Libya, from deadly street battles in Tripoli’s suburbs to violent protests in Sabratha. The killing of a well-known...
Turkey: Erdogan’s Winning Strategy in Africa
Despite the wave of coups d'état in West Africa, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had close ties to the ousted regimes of Guinea, Mali,...
Libya’s Fragile Peace Shaken Again by Local Violence
Tensions are flaring again in Libya, from deadly street battles in Tripoli’s suburbs to violent protests in Sabratha. The killing of a well-known...
Jihadist Expansion Threatens Coastal West Africa
The Sahel is confronting an intensifying insurgency that continues to evolve in scale and complexity. Armed groups such as the Group for the Support...
Sahel: Russia Replaces Wagner in Mali Under Pressure from Algeria, Touaregs Brace
As Wagner withdraws from Mali, Russia is not stepping away, but it’s reshaping its presence there. Under quiet pressure from Algeria, the...
SOCIAL, LABOR & THE ENVIRONMENT
Morocco’s Youth Protests Regain Momentum, Calls for Reform Ahead of 2025 Africa Cup
As of Sunday, October 19, protests led by the youth collective GenZ212 continued across multiple Moroccan cities, demanding better healthcare, education, and accountability in public spending ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. While authorities have tightened restrictions and detained over 600 participants, demonstrations have regained strength following a temporary pause, revealing deep frustration with inequality, corruption, and government priorities.
Mauritanian Police Detain Anti-Slavery Activist After Advocacy Event
Warda Ahmed Souleymane, a prominent member of Mauritania’s abolitionist movement, was detained by police in Nouakchott on October 31, 2025, soon...
Algerian Lawmakers Consider Stripping Citizenship from Nationals Abroad
A plan resurfacing in Algeria’s parliament would allow authorities to strip citizenship from Algerians who commit acts abroad deemed seriously...
Tunisia: Pollution Uprising in Gabès Turning Into Sustained Protest Movement
MondAfrique: Gabès' fight against pollution has reached historic levels, turning into a sustained protest movement with possible national...
Sahel: Fuel Blockade in Mali Brings Daily Life to a Standstill
By MondAfrique: Mali is in the grip of an unprecedented fuel crisis—a crisis now spilling into Senegal. The vital Dakar-Bamako supply route is...
Morocco’s Youth Protests Regain Momentum, Calls for Reform Ahead of 2025 Africa Cup
Morocco’s youth-led protest movement, GenZ212, returned to the streets on Saturday, October 18, after a short pause, confirming growing frustration...
Tunisia: Protests in Gabès Over Pollution and Repression
Over the past week, Gabès, in Tunisia, has seen a dramatic escalation in social unrest centered on anti-pollution protests targeting a...
Algeria: Diphtheria Death Sparks Outbreak Fears in Skikda
The province of Skikda is experiencing anxiety after the announcement on Thursday of a death caused by diphtheria. This resurgence of a disease once...
Mauritania: Water Scarcity Sparks Protests in Chami
Residents of Chami, a mining hub in western Mauritania, have taken to the streets to protest severe and prolonged water shortages that have left...
Mauritania Battles Dual Outbreaks Amid Sahel’s Shifting Climate
Mauritania is contending with concurrent outbreaks of diphtheria and Rift Valley fever that have left at least 36 people dead in recent weeks. The...
Sahel Displacement Hits 4 Million: UN Warns of Growing Crisis
By MondAfrique: On October 10, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) sounded the alarm: around 4 million people are currently...
Mauritania: Water Scarcity Sparks Protests in Chami
Residents of Chami, a mining hub in western Mauritania, have taken to the streets to protest severe and prolonged water shortages that have left...
Mauritania Battles Dual Outbreaks Amid Sahel’s Shifting Climate
Mauritania is contending with concurrent outbreaks of diphtheria and Rift Valley fever that have left at least 36 people dead in recent weeks. The...
Sahel Displacement Hits 4 Million: UN Warns of Growing Crisis
By MondAfrique: On October 10, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) sounded the alarm: around 4 million people are currently...
Morocco: GenZ212 Makes Tactical Pause in the Fight for Reforms
The GenZ212 protest movement in Morocco, which emerged following the deaths of eight women in an Agadir hospital, has shown both dramatic growth and...
BUSINESS & THE ECONOMY
Tunisia: Wage Dispute Triggers Widespread Bank Shutdowns in Tunisia
A nationwide banking strike in Tunisia has halted operations across major institutions as employees protest falling living standards and demand wage hikes
Sahel: Fuel Blockade in Mali Brings Daily Life to a Standstill
By MondAfrique: Mali is in the grip of an unprecedented fuel crisis—a crisis now spilling into Senegal. The vital Dakar-Bamako supply route is...
Libya: NOC Expands Exploration as Libya Targets 1.6 Million Barrels by 2026
Libya is pressing ahead with a broad-based energy revival that combines renewed foreign exploration, fresh domestic achievements, and ambitious...
Morocco: Forces Drive Morocco’s 2026 Budget: Security Recruitment Leads Job Creation Push
Morocco’s 2026 draft Finance Bill sets out one of the country’s most ambitious recruitment plans in years, creating more than 36,000 new jobs across...
Egypt’s Debt Diplomacy: How Brussels Became Cairo’s Latest Creditor of Confidence
When European and Egyptian leaders convened in Brussels for their first‑ever EU–Egypt Summit on 22 October 2025, the event signaled Europe’s...
Algeria Pushes for Ambitious Cashless Economy by 2028
Algeria says it will transition to a completely cashless economy by 2028, according to an official plan led by the Bank of Algeria and its National...
Egypt’s Red Sea Crisis Intersects with U.S. Trade Strategy in Global Infrastructure Rivalry
Egypt’s foreign minister warned last week that Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea have cost the country more than $9 billion in...
Egypt Draws a Red Line on Nile Rights in GERD Dispute
Egypt is insisting that Nile water security is an uncompromising national priority, with the country’s leadership rejecting any attempts at...
Egypt’s Fuel Price Hike Deepens Economic Strain Amid IMF Reforms
Egypt has raised domestic fuel prices sharply as part of a multi-faceted effort to stabilize the country's economy amidst persistent fiscal pressure...
Sonatrach Signs $5.4 Billion Exploration Deal With Saudi Firm Midad Energy
Algeria’s state-owned energy company Sonatrach has signed a $5.4 billion exploration and production agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Midad Energy North...
Algeria’s 2026 Budget Plan: Spending Rises with Emphasis on Salaries, Subsidies, and Investment
Algeria’s draft finance law for 2026 marks a significant increase in public expenditure, with total spending projected to exceed 17.6 trillion...
Tunisian SMEs Warn of Economic Paralysis Over 20% Bank Guarantee Rule
A new rule requiring small and medium-sized Tunisian businesses to provide a 20% bank guarantee for service contracts is stirring concern about...
Morocco Boosts Russian Oil Imports Despite Sanctions
Morocco increased its imports of Russian petroleum products in August, defying ongoing Western sanctions on Russian energy exports, according to a...